Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «M»:
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Myofascial pain syndrome
Myofascial pain syndrome: A condition
characterized by chronic pain in the muscle tissues,
similar to fibromyalgia. MPS is sometimes the aftermath of
injury. Pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication, and
therapies aimed at relaxing the muscles tissues (such as
massage, chiropracty, and som...
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Myoglobin
Myoglobin: The pigment in muscle that carries oxygen. ...
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Myokymia
Myokymia: Continuous involuntary muscle twitchings that give the appearance of wormlike rippling of muscle. The muscle contractions are involuntary (spontaneous) and brief. Myokymia can occur in many situations, including cancer (lung, thymoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, hypernephroma), drugs (gold, penici...
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Myoma
Myoma: A benign tumor of smooth muscle in the wall of the uterus. A myoma of the uterus is commonly called a fibroid.
Uterine fibroids are the single most common indication for hysterectomy. Fibroids can be present and be inapparent. However, they are clinically apparent in up to 25% of women and c...
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Myomectomy
Myomectomy: Surgery to remove a fibroid from the uterus. A fibroid, or leiomyoma, is a benign tumor that arises from the myometrium, the muscular wall of the uterus.
The first myomectomy was performed by the American surgeon Washington Atlee in 1844....
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Myometrium
Myometrium: The muscular outer layer of the uterus. ...
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Myopathy
Myopathy: Any and all
disease of muscle. Or any type of damage to muscle.
There are many different kinds of myopathies.
The most common form of muscular dystrophy, for example, is an inherited myopathy; it is due to mutation of a gene on the X chromosome. The mitochondrial myopathies are a group ...
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Myopathy, mitochondrial
Myopathy, mitochondrial: See: Mitochondrial myopathy....
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Myopia
Myopia: Nearsightedness, the ability to see close
objects more clearly than distant objects.
Myopia can be caused by a longer-than-normal eyeball or by any
condition that prevents light rays from focusing on the retina.
Most forms of myopia can be managed with corrective lenses.
Surgery is avail...
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Myositis
Myositis: Inflammation of muscle tissue. There are many causes of myositis, including injury, medications, and diseases....
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Myostatin
Myostatin: A growth factor that regulates the size of muscles beginning in early embryonic development and continuing throughout life. Myostatin acts by inhibiting the growth of muscles, It prevents them from growing too large. Myostatin is also known as growth and differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8). ...
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Myotonic dystrophy
Myotonic dystrophy: An inherited disease in which the muscles contract but have decreasing power to relax -- this phenomenon is termed myotonia (irritability and prolonged contraction of muscles). The disease also leads to a mask-like expressionless face, premature balding, cataracts, and heart arrh...
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Myotonic dystrophy 2
Myotonic dystrophy 2: See: Myotonic dystrophy type 2....
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Myotonic dystrophy type 2
Myotonic dystrophy, type 2: An inherited disorder of the muscles and other body systems characterized by progressive muscle weakness, prolonged muscle contractions (myotonia), clouding of the lens of the eye (cataracts), cardiac abnormalities, balding, and infertility. Type 2 myotonic dystrophy is c...
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Myotonic myopathy, proximal
Myotonic myopathy, proximal: See: Myotonic dystrophy type 2....
